Between two lines
by TinChoSNS
Summary: Between two lines they always said it's easy to forgive and forget. sure...to most people maybe it was, but Neji didn't or couldn't forget and forgive what they have done to his father and what they did to him. marking him for life... The underdog of the Hyuuga family. He showed no interest in making friends with the other student, nor did he wish to.
1. Chapter 1

Between two lines

they always said it's easy to forgive and forget.

sure...to most people maybe it was, but Neji didn't or couldn't forget and forgive what they have done to his father and what they did to him. marking him for life... The underdog of the Hyuuga family.

He showed no interest in making friends with the other student, nor did he wish to. Life had shown him that being on his own is far better than to rely on someone else. He was sitting in his room, quiet and alone as always, just turning eighteen years of age. He didn't need fancy birthday parties, he was happy just being by himself. it was early in the morning so without much delay, he put on his shoes and went to the Hokage place for his next mission. He found being on a mission far away from the reality of the world made him at peace. So without much delay, he jumped out of the window of his room and went down the street.

''Hyuuga'' came a voice behind him. It was the Nara prodigy, Shikamaru Nara, he passed the chunin exam even doh he lost in the end. His way of thinking was far more superior to his age and the way he was behaving.

''Nara'' Neji nodded at him.

The two boys proceeded to go down the street, neither of them exchanged many words to each other. They were not friends, nor were they classmates, just two ninjas in the same category of work.

''Neji, Shikamaru'' A voice behind them made them turn their heads, it was the Hokage with the pig

''Hokage-sama'' Said Neji bowing his head. Shikamaru just nodded

''just the two boys I need'' She said tipsy, it could be seen by a mile she was again drunk, not much of a Hokage to me .if you ask Neji...But he was respectful non the less.

They followed the Hokage to the gate. There were Ino and Ten Ten waiting with two big bags next to them.

''Hyuuga, Nara, you will go with them to the next village and deliver the good, you are free anyways.'' She said.

''Hokage-sama I was just about...'' He was interrupted by the Hokages stare.

''I don't have a mission for you Neji if that's what you were trying to get, except this one.'' Tonton made a niff noise and followed the Hokage to the Yamanaka girl.

Neji didn't hear what the Hokage was saying to the Yamanaka girl, nor did he find any interest in it. He will take this mission only to get away from here.

''Pain in the ass..'' Said the Nara boy, lifting his arms behind his head and moving to the gate.

Neji followed his move, and soon they were off. The Hyuuga boy didn't ask what kind of a mission this was.


	2. Chapter 2

deep into the forest, Shikamaru noticed some commotion

''we got company'' He touched the ear communication bug.

''Yeah, Shika go take care of them.'' Said Ino, giving him a smile.

''Pain in the ass.'' Shikamaru used his shadow bind jutsu pulling two boys covered in black from head to toe, that were hiding behind the trees.

he swiftly took care of them, didn't even bother to interrogate them. They were no threat to them so why even bother. Shikamaru didn't go out of his way for something so small, if he needed to fight, it should be something big. The Hyuuga just watched as the Nara took out the ninjas. He wasn't bothered by them as well. Guess he just wanted to take this mission out more quickly then he thought before.

''Hey Hyuuga'' Shikamaru called him jumping from a tree to a tree next to him.

''Yes'' The Hyuuga replied.

''Why'd you bother to come?'' Shikamaru asked

The Hyuuga took a while to think about it, and then just gave a shrug with no reply.

''I'll take that as no comment'' Shikamaru laughed it off.

Well, he himself didn't really care for the mission, it was an easy one.

Just deliver some goods to the next village and be done with it. He didn't even bother to ask what it was in the begs that Ten Ten and Ino were carrying with them.

After a while, Ino and Ten Ten stopped at the gate of the Kumogakure no Sato [village hidden in the clouds].

the gourds took a look at the begs and called for someone to take care of them. After a while, two men showed up opening the bags. In there were a jar and a fan.

''Maa Thanks guys for delivering this'' Said the yellow-haired boy grinning at them.

'' No problem'' Ino replied, giving him one of her flirty smiles.

It was already getting late outside by the time they came to the village so they were offered to stay the night there. They didn't mind considering the Raikage insisted on it.

They were offered to stay in an In, the girls shared one room while the boy another. Neji wasn't much of a talker, Shikamaru even less, so they played Shogi instead. The Hyuuga was a good player. Shikamaru clicked the lighter that Asuma left him. He wanted to smoke one but was too lazy to leave the room, he will just do it after the game.

''Your move Nara'' Neji said annoyed by the clicking of the lighter.

Shikamaru looked at him interested, continued to click the lighter, seeing a speck of annoyance in the other boy eyes.

''Hyuuga you should get that stick out of your ass,'' Shikamaru said

Neji didn't like the comment one bit. He was told many times he was stuck up like he watched the world from above.


	3. Chapter 3

After the game, Shikamaru went outside to smoke a cigar, Neji joined him.

''That's not really good for you Nara''

Neji stood next to him, the smoke blowing into his hair.

''you don't have to stand here'' Said the Nara taking a puff of the smoke.

''I don't'' Neji said '' But I don't mind it anyways'' He continued.

''Want one?'' Shikamaru asked.

Neji just shook his head.

Shikamaru put away the pack of smokes inside his pocket, clicking with the lighter again, as he took another breath of the smoke.

''Well played'' Neji said, pointing with his head to the shogi board.

''I had a good teacher'' He remembered how Asuma and he used to play all the time, when he was young he didn't understand all the need for him to play the game, it was rather boring, to be honest. But now this is what makes him happy, it makes him close to his teacher.

And sometimes it's as if he is still alive. As if nothing happened, he wished doh that it was true. What a thing to say, what a wicked wish to have, to have more time now that the time has been lost. Wishing he had more time when the time he had he didn't use before. He spent nights thinking it over and over again what would have happened if he was quick enough, what would have happened if the page was turned other way. What would have happened if the sides were turned and the melody was playing on a whole another tune?

With the last breath of the smoke, he flicked the cigar away on the ground.

Shikamaru turned away from the balcony and entered the room again, leaving the Hyuuga alone. The dark was setting heavy outside. But the blue moon was clear and there was no cloud to see, showing all the stars outside. He used to watch the clouds pass by for hours on no end. Just being lazy, as Asuma-sensei would say, but he was caught in the thought of the time when everything was fine.

''I'm going to get something to drink, you need anything?'' Shikamaru asked the Hyuuga who was just entering the room.

The Hyuuga looked at him.

''I could go for a drink.'' Hyuuga agreed.

Shikamaru opened the door to the room and they both went outside, just scrolling trying to find a place open to get a drink. Finally, they found a place open. Shikamaru held the door open for Neji, who entered rather sluggish even for him, closing the door the Nara ordered a pitcher of sake and followed the Hyuuga to a booth far inside the place. The bartender got them the sake with a bowl of peanuts, Shikamaru took the pitcher and nodded at Neji for his glass, the Hyuuga took the glass and pushed it closer to the Nara. Shikamaru filled Neji's glass than his. They both took a sip.

''Pretty quite here,'' Shikamaru said.

''Yeah.'' Neji nodded.

They didn't talk much. It would be a wonder to have a conversation with the Hyuuga. That's what Shikamaru thought to himself, watching the Hyuuga drink another sip of his drink. He noticed how the hair would always fall down when he took a sip, how those violet eyes looked everywhere around the place, how his hands are skinny and pale, long fingers, nails not cut to hard and not to long, just the perfect size.

Neji would look once or twice at the young Nara. Shikamaru would smile each time their eyes meet.

They were on their fifth glass of sake. Shikamaru was getting a little tipsy by now.

The Hyuuga was blushing, his face a little red, not used to the sake. He would drink sometimes but not that much.

Shikamaru removed the hair that fell on the young Hyuuga face.

''It's warm in here,'' Shikamaru said between sips of his drink.


	4. Chapter 4

Neji blushed a little and just nodded. He wasn't all that familiar with being touched, and Shikamaru moving his hair only made him more uneasy.

Thy finished their drink

''Let's get back.'' Said the young Nara.

Neji finished his cup, and getting up stumbled on the foot of the table, falling in Shikamaru's arms.

''Are you okay?'' Shikamaru looked at him.

Blushing and trying to stand back Neji confirmed he was alright.

Shikamaru walked slowly beside Neji who was a little tipsy from drinking

''you not really good with drinks, are you?'' Shikamaru smiled

Neji got his head up to look at the young nin' only to throw up on him.

''figures'' Shikamaru said.

It took them a minute and a half to get back to the Inn only it seemed as if it took them longer then that.

The young Nara helped Neji get undressed, the young Hyuuga was fighting him all the time, saying he could do it himself.

''Just let me do it'' Shikamaru finally said after the Hyuuga stopped moving.

He then got his shirt off leaving him in pants that weren't covered in puke, and he took his own shirt with pants off because most the puke got in Shikamaru's way. The Nara was a well build not too skinny or to muscle like figure, his body shape was pleasant to the eye, doh he liked to cover as much as possible, The Hyuuga also being a nin' who deals in combat was well build, defined hands and stomach. The young Nara found himself to be mesmerized by the long falling hair tracing down beyond his waist.

''you stink'' The Hyuuga said out of the blue.

''And who's fault that might be''

The Hyuuga laughed, not a real laugh, more like a forced shallow one, something to his own joy, something he only could understand.

''Let's get you clean up'' Shikamaru said.

''It's fine I can do it myself''

''No you can't, you can't even stand proper'' Shikamaru felt like it's a never-ending battle with him.

''fine.'' Neji finally said.

The Nara took a towel and gently walked the Hyuuga to the bathroom, turning on the shower.

''You can leave now'' Hyuuga said starting to undress.

''I need to shower too'' Shikamaru told him

'' You can do it after me''

''To troublesome, we can just shower together, it's not like you got anything I haven't seen before.''

''Turn the other way from me''

''Fine''

They got in the shower and managed to somehow share enough space to clean themselves off from sweat and puke.

Shikamaru watched as the water was falling down Neji's back, his hair soaked wet and sticking to his body, then he turned him around and kissed him out of the blue.

Neji pushed him away

''what are you doing?'' he asked in shock

''I just wanted to try something out,'' Shikamaru said licking his lips

''I'm not a girl, nor am I gay''

''I'm not gay,'' Shikamaru said back.

''So why did you kiss me?'' Neji said

'' Because you looked like a girl from behind''

''Well now you see me from the front, am I still a girl'' Neji's blood rushed to his cheeks, his wet hair embracing his soaking body.

''If I don't look down yes.'' Shikamaru gave a small innocent smile

''you are a moron Shikamaru Nara'' Neji turned around to get out but Shikamaru stopped him.

''what'' Neji said still turned around.

Shikamaru was silent for some time, then he let go of Neji's hand

''Nothing, forget it''

''Fine.'' Neji took a towel and wrapped it around his waist.

The young Nara stood in the shower pressing his finger on his lips, grinning to himself.


End file.
